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Implementation of Updated Health Care Facility Regulations

Act 60 of 2013 allows the Department of Health (DOH) to grant "deemed status" licensure to facilities accredited by an approved national accreditation organization, such as The Joint Commission. The legislation also allows hospitals that are accredited to be exempt from routine licensure renewal surveys conducted by DOH. HAP will continue to work to reform the licensure process for specialty hospitals.

In addition, for those hospitals that are not accredited by one of the approved national accreditation organizations, HAP is working with DOH to identify key regulations for a streamlined, expedited exceptions process to provide relief for the conflicts between federal and state standards.

The 1989 physician self-referral law or “Stark Law”—which was designed to address overutilization in a fee-for-service environment—is antiquated and must be modernized to meet the objectives of the new value-based payment system, which rewards quality over quantity of care. In a comment letter issued today, HAP endorsed efforts to modernize Stark Law to enable hospitals and physicians to coordinate care and improve patient outcomes.

Our federal government says it wants to reduce the unnecessary red tape that is holding back American innovation and driving up the costs of goods and services—including those related to health care. On behalf of Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems, I am pleased to say that we want to help with that.